Government as Smart Client
- Created on Tuesday, 20 August 2013
The OVGA has developed a set of guidelines 'Government as Smart Client' for building procurement processes, the implications for design quality arising from these processes, and recommended strategies to enable good design.
The methods used to deliver built projects can vary substantially, not just in their decision-making process, risk sharing and contractual methods, but also the way in which they affect the interaction with the design team and their capacity to deliver good design outcomes. The guidelines offer advice on how this relationship may be structured to benefit good design and reviews the various procurement methods to achieve the best possible design outcomes.
The guidelines provide advice to government and more broadly to the construction industry. The intent is that the guidelines will be supported by case studies and updated on a regular basis to ensure that they remain active in their content, development and application. The OVGA welcomes comments and feedback to inform the effectiveness of the guidelines: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
You can access the guidelines 
here or as separate chapters below.
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Government as Informed Client
Chapter 3 The Design Process
Chapter 4 Procurement of Design Service
Chapter 5 Procurement of Buildings and Infrastructure
Procurement Case Studies
In addition to the Government as Smart Client guidelines, the OVGA have developed some case studies focused on the procurement methods used in the delivery of buildings and infrastructure. They provide an overview of the project, procurement method, constraints and the key steps taken to protect design quality through the process
6. Public Private Partnerships
10. Invited Design Competitions